EP4277842A1 - Series addition aerofoil launching system - Google Patents
Series addition aerofoil launching systemInfo
- Publication number
- EP4277842A1 EP4277842A1 EP22706345.0A EP22706345A EP4277842A1 EP 4277842 A1 EP4277842 A1 EP 4277842A1 EP 22706345 A EP22706345 A EP 22706345A EP 4277842 A1 EP4277842 A1 EP 4277842A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- aerofoils
- runners
- tethers
- primary
- duty
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000003491 array Methods 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 7
- 230000000452 restraining effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 description 2
- WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N alstonine Natural products C1=CC2=C3C=CC=CC3=NC2=C2N1C[C@H]1[C@H](C)OC=C(C(=O)OC)[C@H]1C2 WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002250 progressing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
- B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
- B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
- B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
- B63H9/069—Kite-sails for vessels
- B63H9/072—Control arrangements, e.g. for launching or recovery
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
- B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
- B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
- B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
- B63H9/069—Kite-sails for vessels
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
- B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
- B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
- B63H9/08—Connections of sails to masts, spars, or the like
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B63B2035/009—Wind propelled vessels comprising arrangements, installations or devices specially adapted therefor, other than wind propulsion arrangements, installations, or devices, such as sails, running rigging, or the like, and other than sailboards or the like or related equipment
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/70—Wind energy
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T70/00—Maritime or waterways transport
- Y02T70/50—Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system
- Y02T70/5218—Less carbon-intensive fuels, e.g. natural gas, biofuels
- Y02T70/5236—Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions
Definitions
- tethered aerofoils sometimes known generically as kites, have taken the place of conventional sails in a number of designs; this specification relates to technology intended to controllably deploy such tethered aerofoils in an array, as and when required.
- One solution is to deploy aerofoils together in a connected array such that they are arranged in series with one another rather than in parallel, so that they and their tethers are less likely to become entangled with each other, because they are less able to move independently of each other.
- the difficulty with this solution is that launching and recovering a pre-connected or pre-arranged array requires handling multiple aerofoils at once, and requires either that they all be launched as a complete array or that some intermediate part of the array be secured to the base if no more than a subset of the aerofoils are required to be launched. Launch and recovery in this case may be challenging.
- This system is also limited in that the configuration of the array is inflexible; the aerofoils are pre-installed in a particular order that cannot be changed, nor can their distribution and spacing.
- This invention proposes to improve upon the use of aerofoils for propulsion by providing a means to deploy and retract aerofoils independently as part of a series array, adding and subtracting them from the primary structure of the array.
- auxiliary aerofoil' or kite, or group thereof would first be launched, in order to establish this primary structure by pulling one or more ‘primary tethers’ into the air and tensioning them against the reaction of the base to which they are directly or indirectly connected, such that subsequent 'duty aerofoils,’ which may be larger and more powerful, can be controllably launched using these primary tethers for guidance, traction, security, reaction or restraint or for any or all of these purposes. This is achieved using runners that can be run out along those primary tethers to a required position and that may be used to connect the duty aerofoils to the primary tethers.
- ‘tethered aerofoil' shall be taken to mean an aerofoil whose physical restraint relies upon tethers, of which there may be one or more;
- 'tether' shall be taken to mean any flexible tension-bearing element
- ‘series array’ shall be taken to mean an arrangement where some aerofoils are secured at intervals, regular or otherwise, along a common element, such as a tether or a set of tethers;
- ‘primary tether' shall be taken to mean a tether that is connected to at least one auxiliary aerofoil and is directly or indirectly connected to a base such that it may exert pulling forces upon that base;
- 'auxiliary aerofoil shall be taken to mean an aerofoil that is used to pull a primary tether or set of primary tethers into the air and tension it against the reaction of the base to which it is directly or indirectly connected;
- duty aerofoil shall be taken to mean an aerofoil that may be connected directly or indirectly to the primary tethers such that it may transmit force to them, that is not an auxiliary aerofoil;
- 'runner' shall be taken to mean a device that can travel along a primary tether and to which a duty aerofoil may be directly or indirectly connected.
- Runners would preferably be connected to the primary tethers as part of the launch process and may be able to be disconnected when not in use, but alternatively they may reside on the primary tethers such that duty aerofoils may be connected to them prior to launch.
- the duty aerofoils may be connected to the runners directly or indirectly. When the runners are connected to the primary tethers, they are limited in radial motion relative to those tethers.
- the runners may be used to deploy duty aerofoils by a number of methods: by towing the aerofoils as the runners progress outward along the primary tethers; by hauling the aerofoils towards them from an elevated position; by restraining the aerofoils from below as they self-deploy using lift generated from the incident airflow or are hauled away by separate launching kites, or by any other method that uses the runners and uses the primary tethers for guidance, traction, security, reaction or restraint or for any or all of these purposes.
- a duty aerofoil may be connected to one or more runners on any given primary tether. Two is a preferable solution, one to launch and one to restrain, but more may be necessary, for example if the aggregated power of several were needed.
- the system comprises means to cause the runners to move outbound along the primary tethers, means to stop them at a required position and means to cause them to move inbound.
- These functions may be achieved by various methods, for example: direct engagement between the runners and primary tethers such that they may use them for powered traction, actuated braking or such like; external means such as separate secondary tethers, or independent means such as wind powered runner propulsion systems or thrust sources.
- the runners may have a localised energy source to enable control, communications and possibly propulsion, or may be supplied with power from the operating base or from elsewhere.
- a duty aerofoil Once a duty aerofoil is deployed onto the array, it may be secured and restrained in its array position by the runners directly, or by separate attachment devices which are actuated to secure the duty aerofoil to the primary tethers. This latter option may allow the runners to be released in order to travel elsewhere along the primary tethers.
- the restraint positions may be set at predetermined points, perhaps by provision of pre-installed fixture points on the primary tethers, or may be continuously variable along the available length of the primary tethers, for example by clamping onto the tethers directly. Continuously variable positioning is preferable because it adds even more versatility to the array and allows the primary tethers to be free of installed parts, making those tethers stronger and their handling easier.
- Such a system allows freedom of choice of the size and type of aerofoils to add to the array at a given moment, freedom to choose the order in which to add aerofoils to the array and freedom to choose their position on the array structure, i.e. the interval between one and the next.
- This level of flexibility allows the operator to purposefully configure the array, perhaps to suit current conditions or imminent operational intentions, without taking the array out of service.
- the system also allows a duty aerofoil to be retracted without necessitating the retraction of the whole array simultaneously, which is extremely important in minimising the operating power demands of a large, powerful array.
- Radio frequency methods for example digital UHF communications, but may use wiring, optical, sonic or other methods.
- Fig. 1 shows an outline of the key components of the system.
- Figs. 2a and 2b show a preferred embodiment of the system in which the runners are self-propelled.
- Fig. 3 shows a preferred development of the system in which the runners act as carriers of independent attachment devices that secure the duty aerofoils to the primary tethers.
- Figs. 4a and 4b show a non-preferred embodiment in which the runners are free to run along the primary tethers but for being restrained and/or controlled by secondary tethers.
- Fig. 5 shows a non-preferred embodiment in which the runners are propelled by dedicated ‘service kites’ which are controlled to make use of the incident airflow to pull the runners along.
- Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c show various means of deploying the duty aerofoils using the runners, including towing, hauling and surging.
- auxiliary aerofoil 100 holds the primary tethers 101 in the air, tensioning them against the reaction of the base 102.
- Two primary tethers are shown, which is the preferred solution, but there may be any number. There may also be multiple auxiliary aerofoils, although only one is shown.
- the primary tethers 101 may be restrained at the base 102 using winches 103 and/or some other means of restraint.
- Duty aerofoils 200 are restrained to the primary tethers 101 using duty tethers 201 and runners 300, through which they transmit their pull force to the primary tethers and thence to the base, directly or indirectly.
- Four duty tethers are shown here for each aerofoil, for simplicity, although there may be any number and they may be arranged in a sub-dividing bridle system similar to those used for paragliders or kitesurfing kites.
- this system would use self-propelled runners, which would engage the primary tethers and drive along them to the desired positions.
- a duty aerofoil 200 would be connected to these self-propelled runners 301 by duty tethers 201 which would enable the runners to pull the aerofoil into flight, and would restrain it relative to the primary tethers 101 so that once it fills in the airflow, the lift generated by the aerofoil would be transmitted to the primary tethers.
- the system may use separate upper and lower runners, whereby the upper runners 301a pull the aerofoil into flight using duty tethers 201a, and the lower runners 301b restrain it relative to the primary tethers using duty tethers 201b.
- the self-propelled runners may use various drive systems that use the primary tethers 101 for traction, for example a serpentine winch 302 as shown in Fig. 2b, which is preferred; a spiral winch; tether-gripping opposed drive wheels or a reciprocating, 'walking' clamp drive mechanism.
- they may use aerodynamic forces or thrust for propulsion, for example using a rocket, jet, fan or propeller.
- a runner may be pushed, pulled or manoeuvred by another runner.
- an upper runner may not be required on every primary tether, for example if there were four primary tethers, upper runners may be used only on two of them. There may also be more than one upper runner and/or lower runner on a primary tether, for example if the aggregate power of several were needed.
- Fig. 3 shows a preferred development of the system whereby a runner 300 transfers an attachment device 400 to a desired position on a primary tether, at which point the device secures itself to the primary tether 101 and the runner releases it.
- the duty aerofoil 200 would be connected to the attachment device 400 using duty tethers 201, of which there may be several, and thus would be secured by it to the primary tether 101 until the runner 300 returns to retrieve it later.
- the runner in this case would preferably be self-propelled as described above but may nonetheless be propelled in alternative ways.
- An attachment device 400 may be powered from the operating base station or from elsewhere, for example by an electrical cable, or may, preferably, have a localised power source of its own. Power may be necessary to actuate controls that alter the shape or attitude of the duty aerofoil, for example by manipulating the duty tethers 201 , and may also be necessary to communicate and receive commands and to carry out other necessary functions, for example data gathering, computation, and lighting. Localised energy reserves may be sufficient for the duration of the operation or may be able to be replenished by a runner or similar device, which could be called a ‘shuttle,’ capable of progressing along the primary tether to reach the attachment device and recharging, refuelling or re-energising it. In this case runners and shuttles may also have their own power sources and energy reserves or may be powered from elsewhere.
- the runners may perform all of the functions attributed to the attachment devices 400 as described herein, and may be supplied with power in the same ways as described for those devices, including the replenishment of their energy reserves by other runners or by shuttles.
- An alternative to replenishing the energy reserves of the attachment devices while they are in service is to replace a discharged attachment device 400 with a replacement.
- the discharged device may then return to the operating base or to a remote energy source to be refuelled, recharged or re-energised.
- This principle may also be applied to some sub-assembly of the attachment device, for example a removable battery or tank or some form of modular power unit.
- Fig. 4a a non-preferred embodiment can be seen where simple runners 310b are controlled by separate, secondary, tethers 311. These tethers would be used to restrain the runners 301b as the duty aerofoils 200 are launched.
- a duty aerofoil may launch into the airflow under its own lift power, or pulled by a launching kite 202; alternatively it may be pulled into the air by upper runners 310a which are pulled skyward by hoisting tethers 312. These may be hauled up by a mechanism above or turned through a pulley 313 above back down to the operating base from which they are hauled in.
- the great disadvantage of the hoisting tether system is the multiplicity of tethers that become airborne in parallel as more and more duty aerofoils are launched, much increasing the risk of entanglement, twisting and chafe. Using wind-powered launch and only the secondary, restraining, tethers 311 and single runners 310, as shown in Fig.
- Fig. 5 shows wind-propelled runners 320 which are manoeuvred by controlling the airflow over the ‘service kites’ 321 which propel them. It is not a preferred embodiment of the system, again because of the entanglement risk, but it is a novel, possibly useful means of runner propulsion because very little power input is required to operate it - the majority of the tractive force comes from the wind flowing over the service kites. Some form of clamp mechanism or brake would be needed here, to secure the runners 320 in the desired position along the primary tethers 101.
- Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c show several different means of using the runners to launch, position and restrain aerofoils. These include towing as shown in Fig. 6a, hauling from an elevated position as shown in Fig. 6b and restraining from below as shown in Fig. 6c, as the aerofoil launches, surging along the primary tethers, preferably at a controlled rate, and eventually coming to a halt at the required position.
- a variant of this could be that the runner would come to a halt at a desired position on its primary tether by means of a mechanism which engages with a fitting or mechanism at a predefined point upon the primary tether, or which clamps onto the primary tether after a measured time or distance, or upon remote command.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Wind Motors (AREA)
- Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB2100618.4A GB2602829B (en) | 2021-01-18 | 2021-01-18 | Series addition aerofoil launching system |
PCT/GB2022/000001 WO2022153031A1 (en) | 2021-01-18 | 2022-01-11 | Series addition aerofoil launching system |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP4277842A1 true EP4277842A1 (en) | 2023-11-22 |
Family
ID=74679012
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP22706345.0A Pending EP4277842A1 (en) | 2021-01-18 | 2022-01-11 | Series addition aerofoil launching system |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20240083565A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4277842A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2024502657A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20230132558A (en) |
CN (1) | CN117043058A (en) |
CA (1) | CA3208468A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2602829B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2022153031A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR3146457A1 (en) * | 2023-03-10 | 2024-09-13 | Louis Jourdan Huber | “Multi-plane” kitesurfing wing |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2098951A (en) * | 1982-05-20 | 1982-12-01 | British Petroleum Co Plc | Launching a tethered sail for marine and other uses |
US5056447A (en) * | 1988-10-13 | 1991-10-15 | Labrador Gaudencio A | Rein-deer kite |
SU1341100A1 (en) * | 1985-04-29 | 1987-09-30 | Государственный Проектно-Конструкторский Институт Рыбопромыслового Флота "Гипрорыбфлот" | Ship sail |
DE202006011460U1 (en) * | 2006-07-26 | 2007-02-08 | Dollinger, Horst Peter | Drag sail for use with ship, has ropes for attaching to ship, and profiled plastic structure in wave form or zigzag formed by transverse ribs, where transverse ribs run together transverse to wind direction at distance |
-
2021
- 2021-01-18 GB GB2100618.4A patent/GB2602829B/en active Active
-
2022
- 2022-01-11 CA CA3208468A patent/CA3208468A1/en active Pending
- 2022-01-11 US US18/272,713 patent/US20240083565A1/en active Pending
- 2022-01-11 EP EP22706345.0A patent/EP4277842A1/en active Pending
- 2022-01-11 CN CN202280019413.7A patent/CN117043058A/en active Pending
- 2022-01-11 WO PCT/GB2022/000001 patent/WO2022153031A1/en active Application Filing
- 2022-01-11 KR KR1020237028036A patent/KR20230132558A/en unknown
- 2022-01-11 JP JP2023542870A patent/JP2024502657A/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20240083565A1 (en) | 2024-03-14 |
GB202100618D0 (en) | 2021-03-03 |
CA3208468A1 (en) | 2022-07-21 |
GB2602829B (en) | 2023-05-03 |
JP2024502657A (en) | 2024-01-22 |
CN117043058A (en) | 2023-11-10 |
WO2022153031A1 (en) | 2022-07-21 |
KR20230132558A (en) | 2023-09-15 |
GB2602829A (en) | 2022-07-20 |
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